How to Avoid the Most Common Graphic Design Mistakes

With over 40 years behind us at Bradley Brown Design Group, Inc, we have seen it all. Between helping our clients and being immersed in the world of graphic design, we have come across everything from clashing colors to confusing layouts and mixed messaging.

1. Beware the font fanatics

We know fonts can be fun – you won’t find more avid fans of typography than our team.  However, when the number of fonts starts climbing, the quality of the design starts falling. Going font crazy can create a busy mess very quickly. Think about your brand’s fonts and how each font reflects your message.  Usually limiting yourself to one or two fonts is a best practice, especially for smaller design projects.

2. Too much of a good thing

Over-designing is one of the most common graphic design mistakes that we see all of the time. Often it is due to an overabundance of messages, which leads to trying to do too much in the space with too many elements that don’t necessarily work together. Overall, this creates a confusing message that is hard to follow. Start with a strategy and focus on what needs to be communicated.  Then you can create a hierarchy of graphics and copy with a clear message. And please – don’t be afraid of white space!

3. Are you talking to me?

Another common mistake is not understanding or not speaking to the target audience. You can have sleek, amazing graphics and witty messaging – but it all comes down to connecting with your audience. What do they care about? What are their pain points? What images or language will resonate with them? Great design is targeted and purposeful; there is always a reason behind every decision. 

4. Don’t just go with the flow

The blank page can often be an intimidating presence. And while we are all about creative expression, simply throwing elements on a page can sometimes come back to haunt you. We recommend starting every design with a grid.  You aren’t necessarily locked into that grid and it doesn’t mean your design needs to be rigid or linear – the grid is more about creating consistent spacing and a hierarchy from the start, rather than trying to adjust as you go and realizing you need to go back and redesign.

Our graphic design experts are here for you.

If you are looking to refresh your brand and elevate your graphic design, these tips are a great place to start.  Please reach out to our team for more graphic design expertise. You can learn more about us and see some of our work at https://bradleybrowndesign.com/. Follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook to see more graphic design content, cool projects and general creative inspiration.  Come say hello anytime, we’d love to work with you!

Read the entire issue of TEQ here: